The size of police budgets are primarily determined by the Government. Indeed as I wrote in yesterdays blog that is all being debated at the moment for future years. That said a small proportion is determined through the Police Precept set by Police and Crime Commissioners in each force area. Once the overall budget is set out, then the organisation of how many people work in the various departments including where calls are handled is determined by the Chief Constables, whose decisions are held accountable to the Police and Crime Commissioner. In one sense the accountability of the Government is almost non existent in that sense, but the budget is a matter that they should be fully accountable for, particularly in the case where the same party is the Government as the PCC is a member of. So Nick Hurd was asked this question and his sloping shoulders chose to redirect it to the PCCs and Chief Constables. In the case of Sussex Police the Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne must take responsibility for freezing the precept over several years claiming that she could improve efficiency in our Police force. She has now reversed her decision, but it will take many years for her current approach to fill in the gap she created back in 2012. Clearly the Chief Constable is responsible for how much labour he directs at call centres, but the overall size of his workforce is determined 100% by a Tory PCC called Katy Bourne and Nick Hurd.